Campaigners press need to retain lighthouse beam

Campaigners press need to retain lighthouse beam

20 June 2018

CAMPAIGNERS spearheading the drive to retain the iconic sweeping beam at St John’s Point Lighthouse near Killough are insisting it must be retained for future generations.

The Lecale Lightkeepers have written to the Dublin-based Commissioner of Irish Lights which wants to replace the six-ton Fresnel lamp which provides the beam at the historic lighthouse with a modern LED light.

Campaigners say the beam, which is an integral part of the lighthouse’s heritage and a stunning feature of the Lecale landscape, must be retained at the “timeless Victorian building” for people to enjoy.

The Commissioner has argued the current lamp rotates in a bath of mercury and poses a health and safety risk and is looking at designing a new mechanism which would allow the mercury to be removed. 

Campaigners have warned such an option would be expensive to operate and, most significantly, alter the character of the light. They have also branded claims the mercury bath poses a health and safety risk as a “red herring” and fear that replacing the existing mechanism could potentially damage the lens.

In April, Newry, Mourne and Down Council backed the campaign to retain the sweeping beam at the lighthouse, vehemently rejecting the controversial proposal to remove it.

Lecale Lightkeepers have confirmed they wrote to the Commissioner at the start of the month, highlighting their determination to retain the beam after reading about the organisation’s plans for the “magnificent and iconic” Fastnet Rock lighthouse and seeing evidence of what has happened at Mew Island lighthouse since the traditional beam was replaced with an LED light.

They point to photographic evidence they have seen of the deterioration of the lighthouse at Mew island affecting the tower building, dwelling and storage buildings.

“We understand that the attendant’s furniture at the station was burned as part of decommissioning and are fearful this neglect by the Commissioner is what awaits St John’s Point lighthouse and others,” the campaigners’ letter continues.

“The primary aim of Lecale Lightkeepers is the preservation of the light system at St John’s, but we take notice of the Commissioner’s actions elsewhere.”

Lecale Lightkeepers suggest that as St John’s Point lighthouse is within the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area, it will now be “very difficult” for the Commissioner to obtain permission to remove the existing sweeping beam as the local authority is supporting its retention.

“Nobody will be fobbed off with a weaker, LED-type light, even if it is placed with the existing lens system,” the campaigners’ letter continues. “We oppose the removal of the existing Fresnel system and its committal as you have done elsewhere, to some museum or other.

“We have formed the view that the Commissioner, whilst paying lip-service to local opinion, is determined, long term, to have its own way in the so-called modernisation of all coastal lighthouses. We would like to be proved wrong.”

Campaigners urged the Commissioner to put “greater effort” into the matter of preserving the cultural value of what they describe as these “magnificent lighthouses” and not be the servant of the relentless search for cost cuts.

“We are unconvinced that the preservation of the existing sweeping beam would be an unbearable financial burden compared with any LED alternative,” they continue, suggesting the Commissioner could find other partners or funding to further the preservation and continued use of former dwelling houses at some stations and their light systems.

Campaigners say they hope the Commissioner will see the wisdom of preserving the cultural value of the lighthouse stations under its control and reverse the policy of converting them so that an important part of Irish coastal, cultural heritage can be preserved.

The letter adds: “There are many examples of successful lighthouse preservation programmes around the world and indeed at Loop Head in Ireland, so why not St John’s Point? Lecale Lightkeepers remain willing to co-operate with any party in any way we can to preserve the sweeping beam and indeed the whole station and would welcome a status statement on the Commissioners plans.”